One thing you can probably count on in a Fridays on Faith post is a song. I'm such a song freak! And not really in the sense that I like songs........but just for the sheer fact that I try to force other people to listen to my favorite songs.
I don't know why I do this? It could be genetic. One time, my brother Jason called me up and wanted me to listen to one of his new favorite songs. And I wasn't in the mood and plus I couldn't really hear it over the phone. And he was very irritated that I wasn't listening with him or really paying attention. Isn't that funny! Jason, you remember that don't you?
But I totally get that. I love sharing my songs with others too! Still...I don't know why.
This phenemenon has been going on many, many years before the Fridays on Faith series came along, and for that matter, even before I joined Blogland.
Case and point: 10th grade. Volleyball games. I was one of of the FEW of my friends who liked country music. THE VERY FEW. In fact, most of my close friends hated country and loved to make fun of me that I wasn't listening to Greenday or Duncan Sheik.
Yet, somehow, I convinced them all to play "Fever" by Garth Brooks for our Volleyball run-out/warm-up song. That's right, my Greenday loving, Alanis Morriset jamming girlfriends were bumping and setting to Garth Brooks, of all people. How did I do that? Why do I think that is OK? (well, i know why, because that song was AWESOME!!!) Of course, not only did they join along in singing the song with me but they interjected my nickname in for the chorus. So, instead of Fever, they were singing , Beaver or Stever or Stever Beaver. But, I digress.
Moving back to the point of the post today and the song. I just heard this song this week and immediately loved it. Later I found the video and loved it even more!
What if faith were less about religion and rituals and rules and going through the motions? What if serving HIM was simply about serving others? Isn't it?
John 15:12 This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
I know for me sometimes it is not that simple. My faith is spoken easily. But, I rarely roll down the window and hand out a twenty to the man or woman on the corner. Even though my heart tells me to, I am scared. So scared that one time I drove by the same homeless guy three times and just couldn't get the nerve up to slow down, roll down my window and give him my Fiber One bar! Seriously, that happened! I so wanted to. But I just didn't dare. I don't even know what I was scared of. Scared of holding up traffic. Scared he would jump in my car and do something. Scared that he would hurt me. Hurt my children.
This is so silly on my part. Because, really, when was the last time you or I have seen a homeless person pull a gun, jump in someones car and speed away? Pretty sure if a criminal is going to want to come in contact with someone, this would be a pretty low-chance way. Right? I mean, most people don't stop for a homeless person so that criminal posing as a homeless person would really be sitting there all day when they could just go walk into a Walmart just as easy.
There are a lot of opportunities to serve all over the place, but why don't I? Why don't more of us serve all the time? Because we are busy. Because we have kids. Because it's HARD. Because we live in our own little worlds. For me, I know that one of my prayers is that I can start stepping out of my own little world just a little more.
How about you? Comments are welcomed here you know.
3 comments:
Hey Shanny, funny thing a few months ago I had the same opportunity to give to a homeless man standing on the corner at wall- mart in Minot, he had a sign that read "Wounded veteran, need food". As I sat in line at the stop light I saw a woman walk up to him and talk alittle and give him something. I felt compelled, so when I got up to him I rolled down the window and thanked him for his service and handed him the 17 dollars I had in my pocket. It made me so sad when I drove away how little hope he must feel sometimes. Maybe that day in Minot he felt that people really do care :)
Jp
Hey Stever or Stever Beaver, I can't believe you didn't mention the Reba concerts that you put on for this Alanis Morrisette jammer! Love your post. I used to drive by this same guy all the time in CA & I went home & made a sandwich, got fruit, chips, a drink & even a pickle and brought it back to him & told him God Bless you. I never saw him again but hoped it helped. After that I would carry a couple extra pieces of fruit in my car to hand out when I saw someone who needed it. Maybe that was my inner mother in me, needng to feed people. :)
oh you guys! i didn't even see you comments here until now! you guys are both awesome. i'm lucky to call you my brother jp and you my BFF melissa. that is so sweet that you made him sandwhiches and all the fixins! that is so something your mom and grandma would do!
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